Gareth Williams was born and brought up in Barry, and is a graduate of the universities of Oxford, London and Chicago. In 1970 he became a lecturer at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, where he became Professor of History before in 2001 moving to the University of Glamorgan where he is Director of the Centre for Modern and Contemporary Wales. He has written and broadcast extensively on the popular culture of the south Wales valleys, especially sport and music, and his books include the prize-winning Fields of Praise (with Dai Smith), 1905 and All That, George Ewart Evans, Heart and Souls, and More Heart and Soul (both co-edited with Huw Richards) and Valleys of Song: Music and Society in Wales 1840-1914. He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

We all like choosing the best-ever Welsh rugby team, but here is a XV with a difference. Here they are not players but writers. The exploits of the people’s heroes from Gould to Gareth Edwards are vividly recaptured in some classic prose. So too are the expectations and emotions of the most passionate followers in the world. They deserve the best team we can put out. Here it is, a selection of world beating writing on Welsh rugby: The First XV.With an introduction by Gerald Davies, the featured authors include Richard Burton, Gwyn Thomas, Frank Keating, Alun Richards and many more.

Gareth Williams was born and brought up in Barry, and is a graduate of the universities of Oxford, London and Chicago. In 1970 he became a lecturer at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, where he became Professor of History before in 2001 moving to the University of Glamorgan where he is Director of the Centre for Modern and Contemporary Wales. He has written and broadcast extensively on the popular culture of the south Wales valleys, especially sport and music, and his books include the prize-winning Fields of Praise (with Dai Smith), 1905 and All That, George Ewart Evans, Heart and Souls, and More Heart and Soul (both co-edited with Huw Richards) and Valleys of Song: Music and Society in Wales 1840-1914. He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

We all like choosing the best-ever Welsh rugby team, but here is a XV with a difference. Here they are not players but writers. The exploits of the people’s heroes from Gould to Gareth Edwards are vividly recaptured in some classic prose. So too are the expectations and emotions of the most passionate followers in the world. They deserve the best team we can put out. Here it is, a selection of world beating writing on Welsh rugby: The First XV.With an introduction by Gerald Davies, the featured authors include Richard Burton, Gwyn Thomas, Frank Keating, Alun Richards and many more.

Gareth Williams was born and brought up in Barry, and is a graduate of the universities of Oxford, London and Chicago. In 1970 he became a lecturer at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, where he became Professor of History before in 2001 moving to the University of Glamorgan where he is Director of the Centre for Modern and Contemporary Wales. He has written and broadcast extensively on the popular culture of the south Wales valleys, especially sport and music, and his books include the prize-winning Fields of Praise (with Dai Smith), 1905 and All That, George Ewart Evans, Heart and Souls, and More Heart and Soul (both co-edited with Huw Richards) and Valleys of Song: Music and Society in Wales 1840-1914. He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

We all like choosing the best-ever Welsh rugby team, but here is a XV with a difference. Here they are not players but writers. The exploits of the people’s heroes from Gould to Gareth Edwards are vividly recaptured in some classic prose. So too are the expectations and emotions of the most passionate followers in the world. They deserve the best team we can put out. Here it is, a selection of world beating writing on Welsh rugby: The First XV.With an introduction by Gerald Davies, the featured authors include Richard Burton, Gwyn Thomas, Frank Keating, Alun Richards and many more.